Tambri McKinney, Smart Horizons CEO, said the online education industry has changed because of companies like Smart Horizons.

“Smart Horizons has changed our industry, rather than merely reacting to changes within it,” she said.

“We have done this by identifying core knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) applicable to a variety of jobs and life situations and focusing on groups who have historically had difficulty acquiring these KSAs. Our design and presentation facilitates success for these individuals who are striving to better themselves while existing in difficult and demanding environments.”

And it’s the company staff that keeps that design and presentation cutting-edge and state-of-the-art.

Any technology-based form of education requires new and evolving skill sets, and Smart Horizons is no exception. When transforming its workforce to meet the demand of its clients, the company stands by three primary missions: To design, develop and implement customized education and training products; seek out and enlist customers for these products; and support students during enrollment in and completion of these products.

When hiring employees to join the Smart Horizons staff, the company keeps these missions in mind with the intent of hiring people who can keep up with the technological advances.

“A willingness to adapt and learn on the fly is a must, as we are truly moving at the pace of business,” McKinney said.

McKinney also said that it’s not all up to just the faculty, staff and employees in this industry, but that the responsibility also falls on our educators, local businesses, and community and government leaders.

“The biggest need is for sponsorship that overcomes financial hurdles and other roadblocks that impede access by many of our area’s underemployed,” she said.

“We believe that education must be a priority for all. Businesses and organizations who are sponsoring local learners or partnering together to provide buildings, workstations, devices and/or scholarships or financial reimbursement for education are putting their money where their mouth is.”

About Smart Horizons

• Founded in 1984 as the commercial division of Advanced Systems Technology.

• Developer and supporter of commercial products since early 2000s.

• Services available in every state of the union and dozens of countries worldwide.

• Look for career opportunities at www.smarthorizons.org.

About this series

Workforce development is on the mind of every major Northwest Florida employer, as well as government and education leaders. Our community is poised for potentially rapid changes in the skill sets needed to compete for companies who may consider investing here. As our region positions itself for potential growth, the News Journal is examining how local companies and industries are meeting new demands, how they’re training their workforces, what skills they seek in hiring and other workforce issues.

Find a new business, trend or training program profiled each Thursday in our Workforce Spotlight series.

If you would like to suggest a feature, if you’d like to know what skills it takes to get into a particular industry or if your own company has innovative solutions for workforce training, send your idea to business@pnj.com. Please include “Workforce Spotlight” in the subject line.